FEELINGS-Are They Real? Are They True?

Posted by Angela Gilbert


-David, upon bringing the ark into Jerusalem, rejoiced with dancing in the street.
-The lame man of Acts 3, upon being healed, leaped with joy as he walked through the temple praising the name of God.
-The Israelites, upon hearing Ezra magnify God, shouted in unison, 'Amen! Amen!'
-Isaiah, upon seeing the Lord high and lifted up, fell upon his face in worship.
-The angelic host, at the announcement of the Messiah's birth, broke forth in heavenly praise of our Lord.
-Stephen, as he died at the hands of assassins, saw the glory of Christ and was filled with the peace and joy of God as he entered His presence.

Are feelings real?

Yes, they are real. God created them as a part of our humanity. Our ability to feel is even vital to our existence. What if we didn’t ever feel fear? Would we just let the rattlesnake slither right up and bite us? What if we didn’t ever feel safe? What kind of existence would that be? How effective could we be in our work in God’s kingdom?

Close your eyes. Think about how many and what kinds of feelings you experience in a typical day…

Do feelings tell the truth?

That is harder to answer: the answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no.
When you feel defeated, it’s a very real feeling, isn’t it? But is it true? Matthew 7:7-8 says no.

Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.

For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.

When you feel afraid, is it real? Of course. But, being a follower of God requires that we dig a little deeper. Is it true? Here’s what Exodus 14:13-14 says:
Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.

So, we need to check our feelings for truth. How do we do that? We go to THE SOURCE of truth: God’s word.

When we have negative feelings, the ones that are clearly real but not true, the best way to move past them is to give them a name, give them some time in quiet prayer and thought, and then “act” out of line from that feeling. Unresolved anger starts to resolve when you name it, deal with it and then act lovingly. Unforgiveness can be transformed when you recognize it for what it is, process what has led to the feeling, and then act forgiving. The big one, fear, is best dealt with by acknowledging what it is, recognizing that it is not from God, and then doing the very thing that you fear, but that God says you can do.

2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.”

When we have positive feelings, they also need to be checked. Surprisingly, that feeling can also be deceitful. Have you ever heard someone say, “God told me that I wasn’t really supposed to marry Johnny, but that Frank is my soul-mate, and it feels so “right” to be with him, so I’m divorcing Johnny.” That is a very obvious example, but the positive feelings that don’t come from God are always deceitful in the same predictable pattern: Satan tries to distract us from the truth and goodness of God’s word.

So, it is good for us to realize that feelings shouldn’t necessarily dictate our course of action. As in every single question that we ask in our Christian walk, the answer can be found, every time, perfectly, in the Bible. We have an opportunity to show others how to set their feelings in a proper perspective; being examined under the light of God’s word.

Heavenly Father,
We thank you for your goodness and for being the author of all truth. Thank you for giving us the gift of our feelings. Thank you for the richness it gives to our lives. Please help us to examine our feelings under your perfect light, with no condemnation but in truth and peace. Please help us to encourage a healthy emotional attitude in our community, and to even be an example to others in how we choose to act on our emotions.
We ask all these things in your son’s holy name,
Amen.